Groot-Bijgaarden Castle, or Chateau de Grand-Bigard in French, is located just outside of Brussels. The park is only open to the public for one month in the spring. At this time, it is a riot of colour from over 1 million blooming spring bulbs. Despite the limited opening period, the 14-hectare gardens receive 50000 visitors a year.

The queen of the spring garden is the tulip

Like its larger neighbour, Keukenhof, to the north, the most predominate flower at the Groot-Bijgaarden is the tulip. There are over 400 varieties planted by hand each year. There are also daffodils, hyacinths, violets, azaleas and rhododendrons on the grounds with additional flowers such as calla and tiger lilies blooming in the exhibit area.

There are plenty of flower varieties to choose from at Floralia in Groot-Bijgaarden

Groot-Bijgaarden combines two of my favourite photography subjects – gardens and architecture. In addition to the stunning spring flowers, there is also the picturesque tower and castle, circa 1110, to photograph.

Groot-Bijgaarden’s architecture is almost as pretty as the gardens

Most of the current castle dates from the 14th and 17th centuries and is a mix of medieval and Flemish Renaissance styles. In 1902, Raymond Pelgrims de Bigard took ownership of the then dilapidated castle and set about restoring it. The entire property is encircled by a moat, so the only entrance is via a beautiful five-arch bridge.

Groot-Bijgaarden Castle’s signature bridge

Some years, the tower and tiny chapel host flower exhibits. The last time I visited, the chapel was brimming with orchids.

Orchids galore inside the chapel

Unfortunately, you can’t wander through the main castle building, unless you book it for a function (what a beautiful setting for a wedding!), but it adds a beautiful backdrop to the flower gardens.

The tower is stunning inside and out

If you’re passionate about gardens and have never been to Keukenhof, would I recommend you visit Groot-Bijgaarden instead? No, but it certainly has its advantages as a garden photography location:

Advantages of Groot-Bijgaarden over Keukenhof

Groot-Bijgaarden gets lots of visitors, but nothing to compare to the crowds at Keukenhof

Fewer visitors. This is by far the most noticeable advantage. That’s not to say there aren’t crowds at the Groot-Bijgaarden, but it’s nothing to compare with the hundreds of tour buses swarming Keukenhof each day. (See my photo tips on avoiding crowds.) Every garden-lover in the world has heard of Keukenhof. Many Belgians don’t even know about Groot-Bijgaarden.

The plantings at Groot-Bijgaarden tend to be wilder than those at Keukenhof

Architecture makes a beautiful background. The castle, tower, and bridge at the Groot-Bijgaarden are a much more interesting backdrop to the gardens than the modern and rather boring buildings at Keukenhof.

More manageable size. True, the Groot-Bijgaarden doesn’t have the vastness and variety of landscapes as the Keukenhof, but it is a lot easier to get around. If you only have a couple of hours to spend, you can still feel like you’ve seen most of the gardens.

It’s easy to get up close and personal with the flowers

Location. Ok, so this is only an advantage to those of us in Belgium. Or is it? The Keukenhof’s location in Lisse does not allow for many hotels in the area and they book up fast. Amsterdam hotels are notoriously expensive. The Groot-Bijgaarden, on the other hand, is about ten minutes from central Brussels and has train and bus links practically at the gate.

Price. The Groot-Bijgaarden costs 12€ for adults (with group and seniors rates available). The Keukenhof is 16€ which isn’t a huge difference. However, it is an additional 6€ to park your car. The biggest difference, though, is Groot-Bijgaarden has a season ticket for is 17€. If you go twice, it pays for itself.

Buy a season pass to Groot-Bijgaarden so you don’t have to rush

Advantages of Keukenhof over Groot-Bijgaarden

Keukenhof is the world’s biggest spring tulip garden

Size and variety. Let’s face it – It’s the Keukenhof… The largest and most famous bulb garden in the world. It’s unfair of me to even compare the two. 7 million bulbs are planted every year and this does not include the exhibition buildings.

Better organization. Many of the bulbs in the Groot-Bijgaarden are planted in a more mixed and natural way. At the Keukenhof, the beds are more formal and in many ways easier to photograph. The Keukenhof’s identification of flowers is also more consistent and organized.

There’s no denying the drama of the Keukenhof

Over the years, I’ve been to both Keukenhof and Groot-Bijgaarden a number of times and I would highly recommend both. However, if you want a quick garden escape here in Belgium, Groot-Bijgaarden is a clear winner.

In 2015, Floralia runs from 3 April to 3 May and is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Alison Cornford-Matheson is a Canadian travel writer, author, and photographer. She is the founder of Cheeseweb.eu, a website dedicated to slow and sustainable travel, off-the-beaten-path destinations, and cultural awareness through travel. She and her husband, Andrew, are the founders of RockFort Media, committed to helping entrepreneurs tell their stories online. Alison has visited over 45 countries and, after living in Belgium for 11 years, now lives full-time in a Bigfoot motorhome named Yeti with Andrew and their well-travelled cat.

We are Canadians, Alison & Andrew, and we are slow travelling the world – with our cats. We believe every destination has a story to tell and that the journey truly is the destination. We travel slow – because everywhere is somewhere. read more...